For employees to be most productive, they should have to multitask only within their areas of expertise. Time wasted on managing the fiddly details associated with an office set-up can be disruptive for personal assistants and office managers.
For this reason, companies should look for more than a once-off drop-and-go service from their office furniture supplier. They should expect extensive office facilities management experience too.
Here we provide an overview of the factors to consider before choosing an office furniture supplier.
The three Rs
The three Rs are region, reputation and range.
If your company is represented in locations across the country, or if future growth could see branches opening in other cities, you need a supplier that can offer services from branches near these locations. This will save you unnecessary transportation costs. A company with offices in the nation’s major cities is anyway generally a safer bet than a small-scale supplier.
To ensure you’re making the best choice in terms of reputation, check out the company’s client list. Has the company earned the trust of well-known corporates? Can you find testimonials attesting to their good service?
Last, consider a company that offers a range of services and products, particularly if your furniture needs are diverse – for instance, you need desk chairs, filing cabinets and public seating – or specific. For instance, you might need dental chairs, or want to cater to the unique seating needs of staff, clients or patients who are taller, shorter or heavier than average.
Space design
Office spaces should be carefully designed to optimise work flow and efficiency. An office supplier that also specialises in office layout can help you plan your space for maximum productivity.
Maintenance and management
Office spaces tend to be used by multiple people, for many hours a day. As a result, all office furniture is subject to wear and tear.
A supplier able to maintain and repair your office furniture long after you purchase it can make it unnecessary to invest in costly replacements, prevent employee injuries and discomfort, and ensure you won’t be faced with an unsightly “graveyard” of faulty chairs.
On the management side, a supplier should be able to adapt your office space whenever employees come and go or work teams are reconfigured – the inevitable office churn. Need screens moved, meeting rooms adapted per meeting, old files securely stored away or workstations redesigned? An office facilities management supplier should be able to meet these needs on an on-going basis.
Help on the move
Whether it’s a personal or professional relocation, moving is stressful. But it’s far less so if you have the entire process properly managed, from the planning stage to moving day and beyond. For example, the day just after a move typically presents a host of post-move problems, from empty boxes obstructing passageways to wires that need to be rerouted.
If they’re part of the service your office furniture supplier provides, professional moving and relocation services mean fewer work hours will be lost during office moves or branch openings. They also prevent staff from having to be involved in lifting, carrying heavy items or performing handyman tasks.
Consistent service
If an office key is lost, furniture gets broken or facilities need to be adapted for visiting team members, a staff member may need to call around to secure the help of an external locksmith, repairman or handyman.
If your office furniture supplier offers regular on-site churn management and maintenance, however, these tasks can be seen to speedily, with just one call to a help desk. It’s ideal if your company can deal just with one office facilities management team, which can become a familiar and reliable source of day-to-day support.
For all these services and more, consider K-Mark, which has extensive experience in office facilities management and currently supplies office furniture to leading corporates throughout South Africa.
